Central vacuum cleaner with remote control

ABSTRACT

A VACUUM CLEANER HOSE TO BE SELECTIVELY CONNECTED TO SEPARATELY LOCATED OUTLETS CONNECTED IN PARALLEL BY CONDUITS TO A DUST COLLECTION CONTAINER. A BLOWER IS MOUNTED IN THE CONTAINER FOR CREATING A VACUUM WHICH IS DISTRIBUTED ALONG THE CONDUIT AND THE HOSE SO THAT CLEANER ACTION CAN BE EFFECTED AT THE OUTER HOSE END. THE BLOWER IN THE COLLECTION CONTAINER IS MOTOR DRIVEN AND A RADIO CONTROLLED SWITCH CAUSES THE MOTOR TO BE TURNED ON AND OFF FROM A REMOTE LOCATION, WHERE THE OPERATOR IS LOCATED. THE OPERATOR CARRIES A SMALL RADIO TRANSMITTER FOR TRANSMITTING A COMMAND SIGNAL TO A RECEIVER LOCATED IN THE COMPARTMENT AND THE RECEIVER CAUSES ACTUATION OF THE RADIO CONTROLLED SWITCH.

Dec. 14, 1971 P. w. SPARROW CENTRAL VACUUM CLEANER WITH REMOTE CONTROL 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed 001;. 9. 1969 T Q Pe rry W. Sparrok IN VENTOR.

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CENTRAL VACUUM CLEANER WITH REMOTE CONTROL Filed Oct. 9, 1969 v 2Sheets-Sheet z Fig. 3

United States Patent 3,626,545 CENTRAL VACUUM CLEANER WITH REMOTECONTROL Perry W. Sparrow, Pine Bluff, Ark. (3822 W. 27th, Little Rock,Ark. 72204) Filed Oct. 9, 1969, Ser. No. 865,063 Int. Cl. A47l /38 US.Cl. 15-314 3 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A vacuum cleaner hose tobe selectively connected to separately located outlets connected inparallel by conduits to a dust collection container. A blower is mountedin the container for creating a vacuum which is distributed along theconduit and the hose so that cleaner action can be effected at the outerhose end. The blower in the collection container is motor driven and aradio controlled switch causes the motor to be turned on and off from aremote location, where the operator is located. The operator carries asmall radio transmitter for transmitting a command signal to a receiverlocated in the compartment and the receiver causes actuation of theradio controlled switch.

The present invention relates to radio controlled devices and moreparticularly to a centralized vacuum cleaner system that is responsiveto remotely transmitted starting and stopping command signals.

The present day centralized vacuum cleaner systems utilize anarrangement whereby separately located outlets have switches mountedthereto so that a central vacuum motor is started upon insertion of avacuum cleaner hose into the outlet. This type of system requires thetype of skilled labor and material which precludes installation by theaverage homeowner. This is in part due to the fact that the switchmounted in the outlet is electrically connected to the house wiring andrequires a licensed electrician to install the system. Also, thisarrangement presents a shock hazard because the wiring to the outletswitch is generally run to a metal receptacle that is not grounded andmay be inadvertently contacted by a persons hand.

The present invention is advantageous when compared with previoussystems because of reduced cost in parts and labor required to install acomplete system. Also, the aforementioned shock hazard is eliminatedbecause no live wiring is accessible to the operator of the vacuumcleaner hose. The system is particularly amenable to the averagehomeowner because it does not require installation by a skilledcraftsman.

The basic difference between the present system and those of the priorart resides in the fact that the present system includes a radioreceiver mounted in the location of the central dust collectioncontainer, and upon receipt of a command signal will cause a vacuumgenerating motor in the container to start or stop operation as desired.All that is required to operate the system is a small transmittercarried by the vacuum hose operator who simply presses a button totransmit the selected type of command signal. This approach furnishesthe operator with great convenience because it is not necessary toapproach the wall outlet for inserting and removing the hose each timethe system is to be temporarily turned on and off.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referenecbeing had to the accom- 3,626,545 Patented Dec. 14, 1971 panyingdrawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to likeparts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is an over-all view illustrating the relationship between a handmanipulated vacuum cleaner hose and a centralized dust collectioncontainer.

FIG. 2 is an electrical schematic diagram of the circuit for controllingthe system motor.

'FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating the components ofthe dust collection container.

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along a plane passing alongsection line 4-4 of FIG. 3.

Referring to the figures and more particularly FIG. 1 thereof, referencenumeral 10 generally denotes a vacuum cleaner hose terminating at theoutward end thereof in the conventional cleaner nozzle. The opposite endof the hose is removably inserted in a fitting or outlet 12 which inturn is connected to vertical conduits 14 lying in-between walls of thesurrounding structure and then carried horizontally across the ceilingas indicated at 16 for termination at the inlet port of a dustcollection container 18. Whereas conventional systems utilize switchesin the outlets 12 that are wired to a vacuum generating motor in thecollection container 18, the present invention achieves the same ends byremote control.

Considering the remote control system, a radio receiver antenna 20projects outwardly from the dust collection container 18 and isreceptive to a transmitted command signal. The antenna in turn isconnected to the input section of a remote control receiver whichdetects the reception of a command signal and causes certain radiocontrolled relays to operate in response to the command signal. Theoperation of these switches causes starting and stopping of a vacuumgenerating motor in the container 18 as presently described.

In order to issue a command signal, a palm sized radio transmitter 22 iscarried by the vacuum hose operator, and when the operator desires tostart or stop the vacuum generating motor, the transmitter is preferablypointed in the general direction of the antenna 20 and an appro priatebutton is pushed to issue the desired command signal. The transmittedand receiver are of a commercially available form and commonly used inremote control garage doors and in devices for turning televisions andother appliances on and off at will. By means of example, thetransmitter and receiver can be of the type incorporated in the Telewandand Teleswitch units listed on page 325 of the 1969 Lafayette RadioCatalog.

Now, we turn to the electrical circuit which starts and stops the vacuumgenerating motor in response to a transmitted command signal. Referringto FIG. 2, terminals 26 and 28 represent input power line terminalsconnected across the primary winding 30 of a step-down transformer. Thesecondary winding 32 includes output terminals 34 and 36. Terminal 34 isdirectly connected to a first terminal of a latching relay coil 38 whilethe opposite terminal is connected to a first contact of a radiocontrolled relay 40. This type of relay is included in commerciallyavailable receivers hereinbefore mentioned. The other relay contact isconnected to secondary terminal 36 thereby effecting a circuit loopincluding the transformer secondary, the relay coil 38, and the radiocontrolled relay contacts 40. Current flows through this circuit loopwhen a command signal is received and processed by the radio controlledrelay 40. Inasmuch as the loop just discussed is connected across thestep-down transformer, the power delivered to the loop is relativelysmall and must be adequate to sufiiciently energize relay coil 38 forcontrol purposes. A second circuit loop is connected in parallel withthe first mentioned loop and includes a pair of relay contacts 42associated with the relay coil 38. The coil 38 and associated contacts42 form a latching relay which exhibits toggle action in response tosuccessive command signals. A first of the relay switch contacts 42 isconnected to terminal 34 of the transformer secondary 32. The secondrelay switch contact 42 is connected to a first terminal of anothercontrol relay coil 44. The opposite terminal of the coil is connected tothe terminal 36 of the transformer secondary 32. Assuming the controlcircuitry of FIG. 2 is in a state ready to start motor operation,receipt of a command signal from transmitter 22 causes momentary closingof the radio controlled relay 40 which in turn energizes the latchingrelay coil 38 with a power pulse. Energization of this coil closescontacts 42 thereby causing energizing current to flow through controlrelay coil 44. Switch contacts 48 associated with relay coil 44 becomeclosed in response to energization of coil 44. These switch contacts areconnected in series with vacuum generating motor 46, the motor andswitch contacts 48 being connected across the power line terminals 26and 28. Thus, upon energization of the control relay coil 44, power linecurrent flows through the motor 46.

When the operator desires to cease operation of motor 46, a secondcommand signal is issued from the transmitter 22 which again closes thecircuit loop including transformer primary 32, latching relay coil 38,and radio controlled relay 40, which results in the toggling ofassociated relay contacts 42 to an open position. Upon opening of thesecontacts, current ceases to flow through the control relay coil 44thereby resulting in the opening of associated contacts 48. Once thecontacts 48 are opened, current can no longer flow through the seriallyconnected motor 46. This completes motor shut-off and returns thecircuit shown in FIG. 2 to a state prepared for the reception of asubsequent command signal that will turn the motor 46 on.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the dust collection container 18 will beseen to include a generally cylindrical housing 50 extending upwardly toa removable frusto-conical lid 52. A mounting flange 54 is disposedalong an intermediate length of the cylindrical section 50 and serves todefine upper and lower housing compartments. An electric motor 56 isdisposed in the upper compartment and powers a vacuum generator. Themounting flange 54 includes an aperture 58 therein for permittingpassage of a motor shaft 60 therethrough, the shaft being connected atan outward end thereof to the input shaft of a centrifugal blower 62.The motor driven centrifugal blower forms a vacuum generator having aninlet port 66 along the axis of the blower shaft. An outlet port orfitting 64 communicates tangentially with the blade structure of thecentrifugal blower 62 and serves as an exit means for the expulsion ofair from the centrifugal blower. An inlet port or fitting 68communicates tangentially with an intermediate section of thecylindrical housing section 50 as more clearly illustrated in FIG. 4. Acylindrical screen 70 is concentrically disposed with the blower inletport 66 and is bounded at the upper end thereof by the mounting flange54. The lower end of the screen is supported by a closed end or base ofthe housing.

In operation of the dust collector container 18, air is forced to flowinward through inlet fitting 68 and due to the tangential disposition ofthe inlet fitting, the inward flow swirls around the interior peripheryof the cylindrical housing section 50. As will be noted from FIG. 4, thehousing has an octagonal cross-section defining eight longitudinallydirected interior corners or edges. These corners slow down the flow ofintake air in the space immediately adjacent the edges and as a result,any heavy dust particles in this space will fall to the base of thehousing. As the intake airflow swirls around the housing, it is forcedradially inward to be filtered by the cylindrical screen 70 which trapscoarse particles.

A second smaller sized final filter 74 having a lower closed end and anopen upper end further filters the airflow passing between the inletport 68 and the outlet port 64. The upper opened end of the filter 74 isfitted around an annular flange defining the boundary of the inlet portto the centrifugal blower 62. The final filter 74 is designed to filterfiner dust particles which have passed through screen 70. The filteredairflow is operated upon the centrifugal blower 62 and expelled throughthe outlet port 64.

The cylindrical section 50 includes an annular separation along anintermediate legnth thereof as indicated by reference numeral 76. Thispermits the separation of a lower cup-like receptacle generallyindicated by 78 from the container housing. After some use of thepresent system, dust accumulates in this receptacle and can beconveniently dumped. Of course, if desired, disposable filter bags maybe employed in conjunction with or as an alternative to the filtersproposed. Mounting of these bags would be in a conventional manner asincorporated in many present day vacuum cleaners.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cap or lid 52atop the cylindrical housing section 50 mounts a solid state radioreceiver 80, of the type previously discussed. An antenna 20 can bemounted on the upper end of the frusto-conical cap so that a minimumdistance between the antenna and the radio receiver exists.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A remote control vacuum cleaner system comprising a vacuum cleanerhose, at least one hose outlet mounted at a preselected point, the hoseto be maneuvered by an operator, a particle collection container havingan inlet port, conduit means connecting the hose outlet to the containerinlet port, generator means for creating a vacuum condition in thecollection container and the hose, wireless remote control meansinitiated by the hose operator for causing switching of the generatormeans to an operative state, said generator means comprising an electricmotor and a blower driven by the motor, the blower having an inlet portserving as the source of the vacuum condition, the remote control meanscomprising a receiver having a radio controlled switch device forturning the motor on and off in response to command signals, atransmitter normally carried by the hose operator for selectivelytransmitting a command signal to the receiver, said controlled switchdevice including a step-down transformer having primary and secondarywindings, said primary winding being connected to a power supply, afirst control relay including a first actuating solenoid coil and afirst pair of contacts for closing in response to actuation of saidfirst coil, a second latching relay including a second actuatingsolenoid coil and a second pair of contacts for closing in response toactuation of said second coil, and a third radio control relay includinga third pair of contacts for closing upon radio actuation of said thirdrelay, said motor and first pair of contacts being connected in series,and in parallel with said primary winding to said power supply, firstand second loop circuits connected in parallel to said secondarywinding, said third pair of contacts and said second coil beingconnected in series in said first loop circuit and said first actuatingsolenoid and said second pair of contacts being connected in series insaid second loop circuit.

2. The system set forth in claim 1 wherein the dust collection containercomprises a generally cylindrical compartment having a polygonalcross-section terminating at one end in a base, an inlet portcommunicating with the compartment interior for causing inlet fiow toswirl around the compartment, the longitudinal corners of thecompartment serving to catch heavy particles which subsequently fall tothe base of the compartment, at least one filter disposed in thecompartment for trapping particles, and an outlet port communicatingwith the outlet'side of the filter OTHER REFERENCES for discharging afiltered flow.

3. The system set forth in claim 2 wherein the filter is Lafayette RadloElectronics Corporatlon Catalog characterized as a cylindrical screenmember, and a second 429; Pubhshfid 1967' cylindrical member fortrapping finer particles and dis- 5 W ALTER A SCHELL Primary Examinerposed concentrically radially inward of the screening member. C. K.MOORE, Assistant Examiner References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2 ssz-li 'jjf-lts 479,231 7/1892 Van Gelder ss 4s9 10 15-339, 347, 41 23,240,000 3/1966 Hayes et al 55459 X 3,440,347 4/1969 Spencer et a1343225 X

